


Something to Believe In

by TheDragonSlayer



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dad Obito, Dogs, F/M, Family, Fluff, Gay Sex, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Past Uchiha Obito/Nohara Rin, Romance, Slow Burn, Uchiha shenanigans, Vet Kakashi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-09
Updated: 2019-01-04
Packaged: 2019-07-28 17:13:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16246166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDragonSlayer/pseuds/TheDragonSlayer
Summary: “I’m almost five so I’m officially an adult now!”"Adult, you said?" Obito snorted, "Remind me again who cried out loud last week because he couldn't find his rubber ducky for a bath?"The boy pouted. "It was because you put it in the wrong place, Dad! You also cried out loud too when they cancelled the TV show that you like so much."Kakashi amused at the way Obito's cheeks turned reddish. "Hey, it was a good show! If people were too dumb to appreciate it, it’s their loss!""You were always so dramatic because you need to get laid, Dad."After his father's death, Kakashi refused to let anyone getting too close to him. But what would he do when a hot single dad and his adorable son stopped by his vet clinic and brought something warm inside that he hadn't felt in a long time?





	1. Chapter 1

The normal day at Sarutobi Veterinary Clinic started pretty slow in the morning. One of the vet, Hatake Kakashi, just fixed his coffee at their small pantry, then proceed to check the in-house pet patients and discuss about upcoming surgery schedules with the head clinic, Sarutobi Asuma. As the main surgeon, Asuma did most of the major surgery at the clinic, while Kakashi took care of the daily out-patients and some minor surgeries. Asuma's father, Prof Hiruzen, was one of the best vet in Konoha and Kakashi was pleased to be his protégé during his vet school years. When Asuma took over his father's clinic upon his retirement a couple of years ago, Hiruzen was the one who suggested Kakashi to join, which the younger man happily accepted.

They were also supported by Tenzo, the ever-loyal-assistant, who happened to be Kakashi's junior at college. He aspired to be a well-respected vet and worked part time there while completing his grad school in veterinary. The last member of their small clinic was Kurenai, their smart and sassy receptionist, who might or might not have a relationship with the owner’s son. She was just in the middle of re-checking the appointment book when the entrance door opened. 

A tall man stepped in the clinic, holding an un-collared puppy with brown fur and white paws in his arms. A little boy, not older than five, followed closely behind. Just like the older man, the boy had a dark hair and looked like a mini version of him, with a pair of round eyes that looked too big on his little face. His small hand gripped the older man's jeans tightly. 

Kurenai greeted them from behind her counter with a smile, "Hello, welcome to Sarutobi Veterinary Clinic! What may I help you with?" 

The puppy wriggled and barked, trying to get free from the man's arms. "Hello. We found this dog in our doorstep last night. I'm not sure if it belongs to someone or not, can you check if it's chipped?" 

"Sure, we can scan it for you. Is it your first time coming here?" The man nodded. "My name is Kurenai."

"I'm Obito, and little dude here is Hirota." He nudged the boy beside him. "We're actually thinking to adopt this dog should no one claimed it." 

"I've told you Dad, his name is Tobi." The boy tugged his dad's jeans impatiently, urging for his attention.

"We are not keeping him yet, Hiro," Obito told his son. "At least not until we know for sure he doesn't belong to someone else, so don't name him yet, okay? What if he had an owner out there who's desperately looking for him? They must've been very sad if someone else took him away."

The boy pouted, puffing his chubby cheeks in a way that only kids his age could. He crossed his arms against his chest and turned his head away from his father, looked utterly displeased with his old man's statement. "No, he's not. I _know_ it," he mumbled stubbornly.

Obito sighed at his son's attitude, stubborn as always, just exactly how he was at that age (and the years followed). He turned his head to Kurenai and said with exasperate sigh, "I'm sorry. He's been begging me to get a pet for a while. I already promised to take him to a pet shop for his birthday, but then this dog appeared all of sudden and Hirota's got attached quickly..."

Kurenai chuckled seeing the scene in front of her. Hirota looked too cute with the pout on his little face. "No worries, we've seen that a lot here, it's very common for kids to get attached easily with animals they found. I'll let the vet know your problem. Follow me, please." She led them into a ward and told the pair to wait there.

Kurenai stuck her head into the staff room-slash-pantry. "Kakashi, I need you in the front. There's a super hot young dad asking to scan a stray puppy they found," she added with a wink. Kakashi was enjoying his coffee and discussing something to Asuma, who was smoking a cigarette. Tenzo wouldn't be there before noon after his class ended. "Didn’t I've told you for a hundredth time, Asuma? No smoking in here!" She scolded her boss, who looked guilty being caught.

Kakashi rolled his eyes. _A dad? Really, Kurenai?_ He put his coffee away and left the two quarreled. He had zero interest in pursuing a romance with anyone, let alone with a dad, who was obviously taken. Yet when he opened the door to the ward, he wasn't ready to see what's waiting for him inside.

A pair of dark eyes on a very good looking face stared back at him, making Kakashi momentarily stupid. The handsome face was framed with spiky jet black hair and he had an interesting shape of lips that took Kakashi's mind wandered somewhere far away. He wore a tight-fitting sweatshirt that showed his muscled biceps and broad shoulder, with a pair of faded jeans on his long legs. He looked so similar with the little boy sat beside him who was holding a rather small puppy on his lap. The boy stroked its brown fur affectionately.

Kakashi cleared his throat to put his mind back to function before saying, "Hello, my name is Hatake Kakashi, I'm a vet here. I heard from Kurenai that you need a help to scan a microchip?"

The other man seemed to have his eyes fixed his eyes at Kakashi and took a few moments before he could mutter an answer, "Yeah. I'm Obito, Uchiha Obito. We just want to make sure if this dog's taken or not." 

"And I'm Uchiha Hirota, but you can call me Hiro! I'm still fours years old now, but I will turn five next month! And Daddy had promised me to have a pet for my birthday, but he won't let me have Tobi!" The little boy butted in.

Kakashi chuckled at the desperate expression on the father's handsome face. "Now Hiro, why don't you let me check it for you if he has a chip or not? But I want to remind you that even if he's not chipped, it doesn't mean he isn’t belonged to someone else. When people found a stray, it's very common to wait for a week or two just in case the owner is looking for it, they usually drop the stray at a shelter in the mean time. It’s also common to put fliers about the strays around the town, so pet-owners who are missing their pets could see."

The boy sent a hesitate look to his father, who raised an eyebrow and gave him an 'I told you' look. He puffed his chubby cheeks and turned to Kakashi. "Fine, you can check him." He handed the puppy to Kakashi's waiting arms. "But I'm not dropping Tobi to a shelter. I'm going to take care of him, because I'm almost five so I'm officially an adult now." 

Kakashi had to hold his laughter seeing the boy's attitude tried to look bigger than he really was, especially with those chubby cheeks and a tiny missing gap that he could clearly see on the front teeth. He put the wriggling puppy at the examination table and reached for the chip scanner. "I'm sure you are a very responsible adult, Hiro-sama," he commented casually to the boy, who grinned so wide after being called "sama", which was a honorific way to address someone.

"Adult, you said?" Obito snorted, "Remind me again who cried out loud last week because he couldn't find his rubber ducky for a bath?" 

The boy pouted. "It was because you put it in the wrong place, Dad! You also cried out loud too when they cancelled the TV show that you like so much." 

Kakashi amused at the way Obito's cheeks turned reddish. "Hey, it was a good show! If people were too dumb to appreciate it, it’s their loss."

"You were always so dramatic because you need to get laid, Dad."

This time Kakashi couldn't able to hold his laughter. He had to turn his back away from the pair to hide his laughter. He busied himself with the puppy instead. _So, he's a single dad, eh?_ Kakashi thought amusingly. He somehow felt giddy with the little piece of information.

Obito's entire face had turned into a deepest shade of red, mouth gaping wide at his son's words. "Wh-who taught you that word?!" He hollered in panic. 

"Uncle Shisui told me that the last time he babysat me. He said that you like to watch cheesy TV show because you were lonely and haven't got laid in a very, very long time. That's why you've became so dramatic. Is it true, Dad? What does 'get laid' mean? I don't understand it."

Kakashi glanced over his shoulder and could almost see smokes trailing out from both of Obito's ears. 

"Enough! I don't want you to say something like that again. Don't you ever listen to whatever trash coming out from Shisui's mouth, you understand? No more babysitting with him from now on," Obito barked. "I'm going to kill that idiot!"

"But Daaad, he's always buys me my favorite ice cream," complained the boy. "Besides, isn't he your favorite cousin, Dad? Uncle Shisui always told me that he is, but Uncle Itachi seemed to disagree."

"Shut up! I don't have a favorite cousin, they're all idiots, and I was wrong to let them babysit you." Obito pinched the bridge of nose, visibly upset by his cousin's foolish act. 

Kakashi cleared his throat again, this time to draw attention from the pair. He turned back to the father and son (there was a trace of pink at the older man's face) and said, "So I've finished scanning this dog. He had no microchip implanted," ("Yay!" Hirota cheered), "He seemed to be around four months old. Mixed breed, but there was a trace of terrier features on him. He looks pretty healthy physically, no visible disease detected at least, but a little bit underweight for his age. If you'd like to keep him, I can help you with the meal plan for him and prescribe some vitamins. He also hasn't been neutered and there was no sign for recent vaccinations either. It also seems that he hadn't been cleaned for a while; good news is he has no ticks or fleas. He behaves very well around human, so I believe at some point he was tended by someone. So either the owner had lost him for quite some time, or he was, well, being neglected. Which is an unpleasant, of course, but it happens. If that's the case, I believe that you have a great chance to keep him," he added with a wink to the boy.

Hirota bounced on his tiny legs cheerfully. Obito laughed and reminded him, "Hey, remember, Hiro, we still need to wait for a while, just in case someone's looking for him." 

Kakashi saw how Obito’s eyes softened seeing his son's happiness and found it really endearing. He smiled to the pair and added, "If you want to keep him, I recommend giving him a core vaccine today and you can schedule the rest later. Kurenai will talk you through to it." 

Again, Obito took some moments before he could answer. His eyes seemed too busy staring at Kakashi’s face and when caught, a hint of blush resurfaced at his cheeks. "Ah, yeah, please do that. We will schedule the rest later." He looked down at his feet, avoiding Kakashi's eyes. 

Kakashi grinned at that the tall man in front of him. Seriously, it must be illegal for a grown-up man to look that adorable! 

After giving a shot, he took the puppy from the examination table and kneeled in front of Hirota. "I believe that you can be trusted with this dog?" Hirota nodded happily and welcomed the dog into his arms. He laughed when the puppy licked his face eagerly. “Having a pet takes a lot of responsibility, especially for a puppy this young. Not only playing, but you also need to feed him, bathe him, and teach him the basics as well. Can you do that, young man?”

"Yes, you can count on me! I, Uchiha Hirota, will take care of Tobi with a great care! I will feed him, bathe him, and play with him! I will also teach him tricks, and I will even let him sleep in my bed!" The bright, toothless smile, spread in Hiro’s little face melted Kakashi's heart.

"Don't forget that you're supposed to take care of his shit too." Obito reminded.

"But you promised to help me, Dad!"

"Not with the shit, I won't," the dad’s teased, face grinning at his son.

Kakashi chuckled at the banter between the father and son. It brought him some forgotten memories he had with his own father, of how they used to taunt each other about everything, and how his father never missed a single moment to try to embarrass him in front of other people. Usually, a single thought about his dead father would bring an ache to his heart. But this time, seeing a big smile at both the little boy and the father's faces, he felt something different crept inside his heart. Something warm and familiar he hadn’t felt in a long time. 

Kakashi straightened up his legs and patted Hirota's dark head gently. "Then I'll trust Tobi in your good hands now, Hiro-sama." 

“Hiro, anything you want to say to Kakashi-san?”

“Thank you very much, Kakashi-san!”

Kakashi chuckled, “You’re welcome, Hiro-sama.” He offered his hand to the little boy, who shook it vigorously with his little hand, excited being treated like a real adult.

 

  


*****

  


"What is that?" Shizune asked out of nowhere.

"What is what?" Kakashi responded lazily from his seat, mouth full of sandwich. Shizune was Kakashi's oldest, dearest friend whom he had known since his teenage years. She worked at a hospital near Sarutobi's clinic, so they often had lunch together, sometimes also joined by Asuma and Kurenai, and even Tenzo. Today it was only the two of them at a small deli across the street. 

"You know exactly what I mean. Your face looks like you're in an unusual good mood today." 

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Shizune." 

"It doesn’t, by chance, have anything to do with a hot single dad who came by to your clinic this morning, does it?" 

"You should stop gossiping about me with Kurenai."

Shizune giggled. "So, how hot is he? Kurenai said something about a ridiculously good looking man with a dark hair with a tiny version of him following around. I believe she also mentioned about how he blushed whenever he looked at your face and how you keep staring at the door for 10 minutes after he left." 

Kakashi put his sandwich down and glared at Shizune. That was way exaggerating, even for Kurenai's standard. Okay, he maybe did glance at the door for a bit after Obito and Hiro left, but it was only a second or two, definitely not a whole 10 minutes! And Obito did blush a little when he said goodbye to Kakashi and Kurenai, but he seemed to be easily blushed at everything, and obviously not _every time he looked at Kakashi_. He responded with distaste, "She's exaggerating and I'm gonna fire her."

"You can't fire her, you're not her boss. Besides, Asuma will fire you first." _True_ , Kakashi thought grimly."C'mon, Kakashi, why don’t you tell me a bit about him, pretty please?" She pleaded with a smile that she deemed innocent.

The silver-haired guy shrugged."Just a guy who found a strays, and his kid wanted to adopt it. Nothing’s special, really." He picked his fries nonchalantly. Shizune raised her eyebrows, drawing a sigh from the vet. "Yeah, he's kind of cute. I mean, you must be blind if you didn't find him kinda attractive."

"Kinda?"

"Shut up," Kakashi remarked and rolled his eyes. "Okay, he is ridiculously handsome and overly adorable when he blushed and his son is the cutest little thing I've ever seen. Are you satisfied?" 

And now Shizune giggled like a madwoman that she wasn't. "Oh my god, I wish I was there to see that. Are you gonna text him? Please tell me that you've exchanged numbers!"

"No, we didn't. He’s a patient, Shizune.”

“If I remember correctly, you are a vet. So unless he has four legs, I don't see any problem here."

“He has a son, okay?” Kakashi sighed, “Why would a man like that want anything to do with someone like me? For all I know, he’s probably looking for a new mom for his son. It won’t do any good for me, or them, to look for any further than being a vet-patient relationship.” 

Shizune looked at her friend softly. She could see that Kakashi was attracted to this man, but she knew how hard it was for Kakashi to open up his heart to someone new, especially after his father's tragic suicide when he was just a 14 year-old-boy. Over a decade later, she had witnessed in many occasions how Kakashi would avoid in getting too close with people around him and pushed away any possible romantic interests. He did have occasional fling here and there, but he put a strict boundary there. She cared a great deal of her dearest friend and always hoped that one day there will be a man worthy enough to warm his way into Kakashi's lonely heart and made him happy. She extended her hand across the table and grabbed Kakashi's. 

"It's all right, Kakashi, take it easy. You don't have to do anything that you don't want to do." She offered a kind smile to her friend, patient as always. "Just listen to your heart, okay?"

Looking at their joined hands, Kakashi's mind wandered to an occurrence that took place just a few hours ago when a much smaller hand shook his. And how it brought back the warm familiar feeling he experienced today. 

He gave a firm nod to his friend. "I will. Thank you, Shizune." 

  
  
  


TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"Dad, can we invite Kakashi-san to my birthday party next week?" Hirota asked his father._
> 
> _Obito was about to reach the bowl of potato salad across the dining table but froze his hand mid-air when Hirota mentioned Kakashi's name in front of his whole family. "Huh? I don't think he will enjoy a children's party, Hiro."_
> 
> _"But he's my friend, Dad, and he's a very nice person."_
> 
> _"Who's Kakashi?" Shisui's caught his older cousin's odd expression with sudden interest, eyes gleaming with hunger. It reminded Obito of vultures preying dead animals._
> 
> _"No one, and don't talk while chewing, it's disgusting."_

Obito stood in front of the mirror at the foyer, trying to tame his wild, unkempt hair with a gel. He didn't even remember when the last time he got so self-conscious about his appearance was. But somehow a simple visit to a vet clinic did something to him. Working from home had its own perk; he barely had the need to dress up nicely. Most of the times, he spent hours working on his computer wearing only a boxer. But this time, not only he picked the nicest (and cleanest) jeans he had, he also spritzed a rather fancy perfume he never wore before. 

"Daaad, hurry up," Hirota whined from the door, stomping his feet impatiently. His hands held a leash connecting to Tobi's new collar. "We're gonna be late."

"Just a second."

After making sure there was no leftover food stuck on his front teeth, Obito sprayed a spearmint fresh breath spray into his mouth. Ignoring the slight turmoil inside his stomach, Obito took a last glance to the mirror and nodded to himself.

"Let's go."

 

There was a bit of commotion at the clinic's small lobby when they arrived. A man with bowl-cut hair and green spandex was fussing Kurenai about his pet. Big, fat tears ran down freely on his face. 

“He is in good hands, Guy.” Kurenai patted his shoulder and consoled him, “Don’t worry.”

“But he's very fragile. I should've paid more attention to him,” the man sobbed and buried his face on his hands. ”And Asuma is not even here...”

“I'm sorry that Asuma had to leave today. He has important tasks for Prof. Hiruzen's new project at Earth Country."

"Is your pet sick, Mister?" Hirota asked the stranger. "I'll be sad too if my dog sick."

The man wiped the tears off his face before turned to the boy. "Yes, he was injured and is having a surgery now. But no worries! He is in good hands now or so I've been told!" He made big grin on his face, showing them a row of white, perfect teeth. Obito swore he could see a sparkle between his teeth. "He will be fine because he has the power of youth like I do. We'll be reunited soon and continue our youtful life!" 

The ward door opened and a man with brown hair who Obito had never seen before stuck his head out to call up for Guy, who immediately entered the ward.

"Is Kakashi here?" Obito asked Kurenai.

The long-haired receptionist threw him a knowing look before answered, "Yes, he's inside. That's Tenzo, our vet assistant. He was helping Kakashi for the surgery." 

Obito felt a bit uncomfortable under the scrutiny look Kurenai gave him, he suddenly felt self-conscious. Was he overdressed? Or under? He only wore a shirt, unbuttoned, over a white v-neck tee, jeans, and a pair of suede shoes. His attire was perfectly normal for a vet's visit, right?

She smiled to him and said, "He'll be finished soon and you can see him in any minute now."

"Thank you."

Ten minutes later, the ward door opened again, Guy came out holding a big turtle with red shell. A bandage was wrapped around one of its limbs.

Hirota's eyes turned wide and mouth gaped in awe seeing the big turtle. He tugged his father's jeans and asked, "Daddy, can I have-"

"No."

 

"Obito, Hiro-sama, it's good to see you again," Kakashi greeted warmly when Obito and Hirota entered the ward. "Sorry to keep you waiting. We’re short of staff today and I had to perform an unexpected surgery."

“It’s all right, we didn’t wait that long,” Obito brushed it off, offering the vet a sheepish smile.

"We were coming late anyway because Daddy spent too much time in the mirror today," Hirota chirped in.

"No, I didn't!" 

"Yes, you did," the boy pointed out to his father then turned to Kakashi, "It's true. He keeps brushing his hair with a yucky-gel. And he even wearing the perfume Uncle Shisui gave him last Christmas. He never wore that before." Hirota continued with a serious expression on his little face, didn't even notice how his father's face had turned red from his words.

"Quiet, Hiro!" He hissed. At this stage, Obito was convinced that a child's purpose was to humiliate their parents to death in front of people, attractive ones in particular. He wondered what would happen if he left his son there, fled to another country, and changed his identity. 

Kakashi chuckled at Hirota's words. "Well, it seems that your Father did himself a very fine job today." He scanned Obito from head to toe with lazy eyes and threw him a knowing smirk. "And the perfume was a nice touch too." 

Obito didn't know if his face could flush harder than before. _Did Kakashi just check him out?_ He blinked slowly at the smirking face. 

Kakashi took Tobi and put him away at the examination table. Obito and Hirota watched carefully at the scene before them, albeit with a different focus. Hirota awed at how Kakashi's hands expertly handle the puppy while Obito focused at a very different part of the silver-haired vet. From his angle, Obito was offered an alluring side view of the man's body, he particularly enjoyed the curve of the plush rear covered by a tight jeans. His mouth watered at the thought of how it would feel like under his hands; is it as squishy as it's looked? And those long legs...He gulped and forced his eyes away from the sinful view before his dick decided to do something stupid. _Not now, you idiot, Hiro's here._

Obito watched as Hirota asked questions after questions to Kakashi. He asked whether Kakashi had any pets ("Yes, I have two dogs and a cat, they're all much older than Tobi, though."); did the dogs like belly scratches like Tobi ("Of course they are. One of my dog, Pakkun, will whine constantly if I don't give him one right after I come home."); Did Tobi feel any hurt from getting shots, because Hirota hated it himself ("Not if it's done right. I learned to do this at vet school, so I know how to do it right."); can he give a shot to Tobi too? ("If you became a vet like I am, of course, you can do that too, Hiro-sama."); and about fifty other questions more, which all answered patiently by Kakashi.

Once he finished administering Tobi, Kakashi scratched the puppy’s head and murmured, "Who’s a good boy, hm?”

“Tobi is!" Hirota answered for his dog with excitement. “He’s been a very good boy, I teach him a lot of things. He’s the best dog!” 

“I bet he is,” Kakashi said with a small chuckle.

“Yeah, especially when he chewed my socks off and ate my shoes,” Obito grunted. He hadn’t forgotten or forgiven the dog for ruining his favorite sneakers. He swore the dog must have had some kind of weird fetish. ”Did you also teach him to do that?”

“I didn’t! It’s because your shoes are smelly, Dad.” Hirota stuck his tongue out to his father. 

“How dare you insult your old man!” Obito held his forearms around his son’s torso and tickled his sides. “Take this punishment for your crime!”

Hirota giggled uncontrollably at his father’s infamous tickle-attack. "Me-mercy, Daddy!" 

“My shoes ain’t smelly, you heard me?”

“Yes, your shoes ain’t smelly, Dad.” He yelped and laughed hard when Obito held him upside down.

“It smells like a flower, say it."

“It smells like a flower,” Hirota repeated dutifully between his laughter. 

Obito put his son down and looked up. He was a bit surprised to found Kakashi was staring at them with a fond smile on his face. A sudden realization appeared in Obito’s mind. He could feel flush crept on his cheeks again, embarrassed by the display of childish behavior between him and his son.

"Are we being too noisy? Sorry." Obito scratched his head and looked down at his feet, too flustered to meet the other man's eyes.

“Oh, not at all.” Kakashi gave him a warm smile. He then proceed with a comment that rendered Obito speechless, “On the contrary, I found it really endearing, instead." 

 

*****

"Come on, Tobi, snatch that stick from Sasuke-niichan!" Hirota cheered his dog from the porch.

His 12-year-old uncle, who stubbornly refused to be called as 'uncle', ran around the backyard, with Tobi followed closely behind. The brown furred puppy barked and wagged his tail happily, tongue stuck out his mouth. 

"Naruto!" Sasuke threw the stick to a blonde boy across the yard who caught it with ease. The boy giggled when Tobi lunged at his direction, but instead of running away, he opened his arms wide and let himself got pounced to the ground by the little beast. He laughed out loud when Tobi attacked his face with a series of licks and snuffs.

"Yay, Tobi wins!" Hirota laughed and took a dive into into the Naruto-Tobi pile on the ground.

"It's because Naruto is stupid, Hiro," Sasuke blamed his friend. "He let himself got caught by Tobi."

They were at Uchiha's main family house for a Sunday lunch. A couple times in a month, Obito and Hirota would join the lunch with them and enjoyed the superb meal prepared by Aunt Mikoto, Sasuke's mother. Sometimes one of the members would bring a guest. This time they were accompanied by Naruto, Sasuke's best friend from school.

 

Obito stepped into the living room and found two young Uchiha men lazing around. Itachi lay down on a couch, one hand holding the remote control and switched channels with a bored expression. Shisui made himself comfortable on a recliner, his legs perched on top of a coffee table. He was holding a sports magazine in his hands.

"I need to have a word with you, Shisui." Obito stood in front of his oldest-younger cousin, finger pointed sternly to him. "Watch your language when you're around Hiro." 

"What are you talking about, Obito? I'm always nice and polite around my favorite nephew," the college freshman answered without a glance. His fingers turned over the magazine's pages lazily. "Your father's magazines are so boring, Itachi. Does he has any porn stashed somewhere in the house?" 

"And taking a risk being strangled to death in his sleep by Mom? Yeah, not a chance." 

Obito snatched the magazine away from Shisui's hand, rolled it, and hit his cousin's head with it.

"Aww! My hair!" Shisui tried to tidy-up his perfect hairstyle with his hands.

'Polite, my ass! Then explain to me why he suddenly said something about how I need to get laid after you babysat him?" 

"Aaah, that," Shisui chuckled, "I didn't think he would remember that, tho."

Another strike landed on his head, harder this time, and messing his hair even more. "I have a date after this, jerk!"

"I don't need my son turned out to be a perverted asshole like you. He's barely five for fuck's sake!" 

"Ok, ok, I'm sorry, it won't happen again." He jumped from the recliner to avoid another strike. "But to be fair, you do really need to get laid, cousin."

"That's none of your business! Say dirty things to my son again, and you'll have more than messy hair to worry about," Obito warned his mischief cousin then turned to the other one, "Itachi, please keep an eye of this idiot’s mouth whenever he's around Hiro."

Itachi mumbled about how Shisui had ruined his little brother already and totally deserved for more than a hit-on-the-head.

 

"Dad, can we invite Kakashi-san to my birthday party next week?" Hirota asked his father.

Obito was about to reach the bowl of potato salad across the dining table but froze his hand mid-air when Hirota mentioned Kakashi's name in front of his whole family. "Huh? I don't think he will enjoy a children's party, Hiro."

"But he's my friend, Dad, and he's a very nice person."

"Who's Kakashi?" Shisui's caught his older cousin's odd expression with sudden interest, eyes gleaming with hunger. It reminded Obito of vultures preying dead animals.

"No one, and don't talk while chewing, it's disgusting."

Got no further response from Obito, Shisui turned to his nephew and asked sweetly, "Hiro-chan, my most favorite nephew in the whole world, who is this Kakashi person that you're talking about?"

"Kakashi is our vet, Uncle. He takes care of Tobi and a very, very nice person. He has two dogs and a cat. And he even called me Hiro-sama!" 

"A vet?" Itachi chimed in.

"Yes, and he's the best! Even Daddy wore the nice perfume from Uncle Shisui when we went to the clinic the last tim-"

Obito put his hand on Hirota's mouth. "Ok, enough talking, finish your food now or no dessert for you."

An insanely wide grin appeared on Shisui's face. "You wear that perfume? The one that I gave you for hookup nights?" Obito immediately closed his son’s ears with both of his hands and sent a death glare to Shisui. 

"What does 'hookup' means?" Naruto asked.

"It means dating someone. Then they have a sleepover and do stuff or somethin’," Sasuke explained. "Adults are weird, apparently." 

"Sasuke!" Aunt Mikoto hissed at her son. Uncle Fugaku gasped at his youngest' rich vocabulary and shook his head with defeat. He really needed to have a long talk with Shisui and his choice of words around minors. 

"Obito is blushing!" Naruto blurted, his blue eyes widened.

"He's always blushing like that, Naruto. He is that weird," Sasuke commented.

"Of course you should invite Kakashi, Hiro-chan," Shishui gave his only nephew a too-sweet-smile on his face. "We can't have your friend to miss your birthday, can we? It's a really important moment in your life, after all. You don’t turn 5 every day."

Hirota nodded happily, mouth full of food.

"We'll also be there to help you with the party, Obito," Itachi offered him sweetly.

"Both of you are not invited, did I make myself clear?"

"Ah, that’s too bad. Because we've had bought an excellent present for you, Hiro-chan," Shisui winked at Hirota. 

"Besides, Uncle Shisui here could do sick tricks with balloons," Itachi intervened with a grin, earning him a murderous glare from Shisui. "He could make animals and such with balloons, isn't it cool, Hiro-chan?"

"Yeah, of course, you can come, Uncle Shisui, and Uncle Itachi too! I want animal balloons! Can you make a dog, Uncle Shisui?"

Obito sighed. Even if they invited Kakashi to this party, Obito didn't think he will bother to come. Besides, he couldn't let Kakashi be near his cousins at any cost, his own dignity would be at stake. He tried to picture Kakashi amid a bunch of pre-school kids, face colored with paints, a dog-shaped balloon perched on his silver hair, and singing Happy Birthday with the kids. Yeah, maybe not. He had to stop himself grinning from the ridiculous image formed in his mind. He was surrounded by his whole family after all, better not giving them any ideas of what's been going through inside his head.

He looked up and found all of his family members staring at him like he grew another pair of hands from his head.

"What?"

"You have a weird smile on your face, Dad."

_Fuck._

***** 

“Come, Tobi, catch it!” Hirota threw a stick at the backyard, urging his dog to chase it. Obito was so glad that no one claimed the puppy after they put fliers around town (he secretly planned to beg on his knees to let them keep Tobi should someone came and tried to claim him. Obito knew he didn’t have the heart to separate his son with his new friend.)

“No, Tobi, the stick is over there, come on, you can chase it!" The single father smiled from where he worked at the living room. Through the glass door connecting to the backyard, he could see the puppy was stubbornly glued himself on Hirota's feet.

Not even once in his life Obito ever thought to settle down and having a family on his own. It was, after all, used to be a foreign concept for him. He never knew his own father and his mother died when he was very young. After his mother's death, he was raised by his mother's closest relative, the eccentric uncle who moved around a lot. To say childhood was unusual was quite an understatement, to say the least. But he did have a great time exploring countryside with his uncle.

Until he met his extended family later in his life, Obito barely had an idea of how it would be like to be a part of a real, normal family. Well, as normal as Uchihas can be, but they’re still his family nonetheless. And it was such a delight to meet his cousins, as well as his estranged uncle and aunt. They were all accepted him with open arms and had treated him as their own ever since. Obito couldn’t be more grateful to have such a welcoming family.

And then he met Rin. The pretty, kind Rin who had a heart of gold and patience rivaled a saint. They met at college; the straight A student Rin who had a bright future before her; and him, who struggled to barely pass on all of his classes. As much as Obito attracted to Rin, he knew that any sort of relationship with her wasn’t supposed to happen. Rin’s golden heart and constant support were the only reason he could graduate, and he was forever grateful for their friendship.

But fate laughed at them. 

Obito still flinched when he recalled that night. It was supposed to be a moment to celebrate their graduation and welcome their adulthood. But one drunken night led to another and before Obito knew it, he found himself in bed with his only best friend. The morning came and brought soberness and realization in them, who both silently agreed to forget about what had happened between them. They were barely out of college when Rin told him that she was pregnant with his child. Obito still remembers the shock he got from the news and the realization of its huge impact in their lives. But Uchihas men were taught to man up and that’s what he did. He took the first crappy job he could get and worked long hours to support Rin and their unborn child. He never knew how it felt like to have a father, but he promised himself that he'll be a good one for his child.

And this time, fate fucked them hard in the ass. Rin didn’t survive the labor. 

The only woman who had a special place in Obito’s heart died in the cold maternity ward. Leave Obito alone with their infant son. Without the support from his extended family, Obito knew he wouldn’t be able to survive the endless mourn and guilts, and an infant whom he had no clues what to do with. With the help of his family, the big hole in his heart was patched bit by bit over the years. He put so much focus on keeping Hirota content and safe, he didn’t pay any attention of his own life. Despite his family urging him to meet someone new, Obito always brushed it off. In his mind, it was only the two of them versus the world. He never met someone worth his time or attention, the idea of dating someone was certainly out of question. Until recently. 

“Dad.”

A figure with silver hair appeared in his mind. Who happened to have a gorgeous smile and a nice butt. Somehow, just the thought of the silver-haired man made him skittish and squirmed on his seat. He was an adult, damn it. He shouldn’t act like a teenage girl! 

“Dad.”

Maybe he should ask for his number the next time they met. Wait, should he? What if he’s taken? Or he was not interested? Yeah, but what if was? He couldn’t miss a chance, could he? Damn. He was out of dating scene for so long he had no idea what to do now.

“DAAAAD!!”

A loud roar exploded at his right ear made Obito jumped from his seat and turned him half-deaf. Stroking his unfortunate ear, he glared at the little boy. “Hiro! What did I tell you about screaming at me?”

“I called you many times Dad, you didn’t even listen.” The nearly-five-year-old-boy pouted. He crossed his arms and glared back at his dad, “And you have this weird smile on your face again.”

He did? Okay, Obito didn’t realize his long train of thoughts was reflected that obvious on his face. He sighed, “What do you want, Hiro? Daddy’s working.”

“There’s something weird with Tobi, Dad.” Hirota grabbed his father's hand and led him to Tobi. 

The said puppy curled his small body on the porch. 

He made pathetic whines and didn't respond when being touched, which was odd for him. Obito checked the puppy's body thoroughly, eyeing for any visible injury, but found none. _Food poisoning, perhaps?_

"He doesn't want to fetch the sticks. He always fetched the sticks." 

Tobi chose that moment to vomit.

"Is he gonna die?" Hirota whispered to his Dad. His lips trembled and water started to fill the corner of round eyes, breaking Obito's heart in pieces. Obito wrapped his son tightly in his arms and kissed his forehead. 

“No, he won't, it’s just a vomit, Hiro.” But when he spotted a few streaks of blood on Tobi’s puddle of vomit, he decided to do something. “Grab your jacket and put your shoes on, we’ll go to vet now.”

*****

"I'm starting to think that you guys really like this clinic," Kakashi smiled at the pair before him. Both father and son had been very worried in the past hour after they arrived. Only after being told that Tobi would be okay they breathed a sigh of relief.

Tobi’s illness, thankfully, wasn’t life-threatening. He ate something he wasn’t supposed to, Kakashi said. The quick thinking vet was able to diagnose it pretty quickly and performed the necessary treatment. They had rushed to the clinic and arrived just a minute before its closing time. Thankfully Kakashi was there and he took Tobi without wasting any second. He didn't seem to be bothered by the fact that it was way past his normal working hours when he was treating Tobi.

"I cannot thank you enough for your help," Obito said to the vet wholeheartedly. He was very grateful with Kakashi's quick and selfless action to keep Tobi safe.

"No worries, it's my duty as a vet to help our four-legged friends in need." He gave a warm smile to the father and son.

"Thank you, Kakashi-san, you are the best!" Hirota bounced towards the vet and hugged him tightly on the hips. "You saved Tobi!"

Kakashi chuckled. If he was surprised by Hirota's impulse hug, he didn't show it. He stroked the boy's dark hair gently. "He will be fine in no time. You can play fetch with him again soon."

"Kakashi-san, would you like to come to my birthday party this Saturday?" Hirota asked. His voice muffled against Kakashi's stomach.

"Eh?"

The boy looked up to meet his gaze. "It's my fifth birthday and Daddy said I can invite you. There will be games and cakes and bouncy castle and animal balloons."

"Really?" His eyes lingered at Obito's dark orbs. "That sounds like a lot of fun. I love animal balloons."

"And there will be over a dozen pre-school kids as well," Obito added, staring back at the other man's eyes. "There will be a lot of snots and dirt and tears, so it'll get very messy very quickly."

"Is there any dress code?"

Obito blinked. Huh? He couldn't be seriously considering attending a party full of snotty children, can he? "No dress code. Just, ah, casual clothes." Obito didn’t dare to tell him that he himself planned to wear the most worn-out clothes he had.

"Perfect. What time should I be there?"

_Wait, what?_

 

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"I don't think one single kiss could be considered as dating, Obito," Kakashi said when both Minato and Kushina went inside to grab a cake._
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> _"Of course you can if you wanted to."_  
>     
>  _"Pretty sure that's not how it works."_
> 
> _"Then why don't we have a real date to establish that?" A sly smirk appeared on Obito's face. "How about a dinner? Next Friday, perhaps?"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit too long than I intended too, so please bear with it.  
> Warning for graphic sex.

_I will come to your place at 2 tomorrow. - K_

_It's too early, the party won't start until 3 o'clock. - O_

_It's fine, I want to help you to prepare things. Please, I insist. - K._

 

"Any problem with the snacks?" Obito appeared beside him, he stood a little bit too close their shoulders touched. Kakashi wasn't complaining though, he was only afraid that his body would do something stupid before his brain realized it. Like grabbing Obito's collar and kissed him full in the mouth in front of a dozen children.

"No, everything's under control here," he reassured the host. 

"Great. Just let me know if you need anything."

Obito had put him to watch for the snack station; he was in charge to stock up the cookies and candies from the kitchen should the need to refill the plates came by. The host himself had spent the last hour moving back and forth around his house and backyard to keep everything on track. 

When Kakashi appeared at their doorstep, Hirota was practically bounced with joy. The birthday boy, who wore a shirt with a dog picture on the front, squeaked with delight and ran to hug his favorite vet right away while the father looked at the scene with a big smile on his face. Tobi barked happily and circled around them like a maniac.

Obito and Hirota lived in a three-bedroom house in a quiet suburban area. They had a spacious backyard that would make even Pakkun howled with joy, although at the moment there was a bright-colored bouncy castle stood in the center and full with children playing around. Obito's youngest cousin, Sasuke, was sulking alone on the porch. Kakashi was told that he was upset because his best friend was going to join the party late because of a dentist’ visit. So far he had blatantly refused to touch any cookies and cakes before his friend came. Kakashi had learned that it's better to leave the sulking kid alone.

 

"So, you're Kakashi," A young man, no more than twenty, inquired Kakashi. His dark eyes glistened with curious. He must be one of Obito's cousins, Kakashi thought. Uchihas men, Kakashi quickly found, all had black hair and sharp, dark eyes. His hand was holding a bag full of long colorful balloons. "The vet." 

Kakashi stared back at the teen.

"Indeed, I am. And you're..."

"I'm Shisui," he introduced himself then added, "Obito's cousin. The oldest one."

"Nice to meet you, Shisui." 

"You too," the younger man smiled, and without missing a beat asked, "So, how long have you been dating my cousin?"

_Huh? What a bold kid._

"I believe there must be a misunderstanding here," Kakashi replied calmly.

"You're not dating Obito?" 

"I would know that if I am."

"But do you want to?"

Kakashi opened his mouth to respond that it wasn't his business to start with but found no proper words to say without being rude. He never met a person so bold before.

"Because I bet 1000 ryo he wants to date you."

_Oh, okay. Maybe this kid being bold wasn't so bad after all._

"You think so?"

"Oh, I _know_ it," Shisui winked. 

"Shisui bets that Obito won't have a ball to make the first move." Another young adult joined them. He had a long, dark hair that he tied loosely in the middle. "But I disagree."

"Hey, Itachi, don't scare him like that." 

"He's not scaring me," Kakashi assured them. 

"Well, if Obito did take the first move, you owe me 1000 ryo, Shisui." He then turned to Kakashi and whispered, "I would really, really appreciate it if you let my cousin seduce you. It might be awkward and pathetic, but please bear with it." 

"Hey, you're cheating, Itachi!" 

"Shisui, Itachi, don't bother my guest," Obito appeared and scolded his cousins.

"We just want to introduce ourselves to your new friend, Obito," Itachi faced his cousin and sweetly answered. Obito looked at him with disbelief.

"I'm bored," Shisui whined. "I've been slaving all day making dogs and shits with balloons to snotty brats."

"Well, you're the one who insisted to come and help me with the party," Obito reminded the younger man, "and the party's just started, so don't exaggerate shit. Now go and make yourself useful."

"Uncle Shisui," Hirota called from the top of the bouncy castle, his finger pointed at a small girl beside him. "Can you make a pink bear for my friend?"

Shisui sighed with defeat and dragged his feet towards them to work his magic. Itachi gave a wink to Kakashi before following his cousin to the bouncy castle to keep an eye at the kids playing there, as per Obito's instruction.

Obito turned to Kakashi, "Did they bother you?" 

Kakashi shook his head. He didn't have a heart to tell Obito that his cousins were putting a bet on him.

"If they said something inappropriate, please ignore it. They're actually good kids, but they can be very petulant sometimes," Obito apologized to his guest. "I don't want you to think our family was raised in a barn." 

"Look, Obito!" Shisui waved a balloon that's resembled an enormous pink-colored male genital above his head. He mouthed, "Dick!" 

Kakashi had to hide a chuckle when Obito groaned and put his face on his hands. He took a stride towards his cousin, grabbed the cursed balloon, and attacked him with it.

"You dare to make that kind of shit around children again and I'm gonna shove it right up your butt!"

 

Kakashi was pouring a bag of pretzel into a bowl when he felt someone walked into the kitchen and stopped right behind him.

"Need help?" A voice asked at Kakashi's ear, hot breath blowing on his neck.

Kakashi turned his body around and leaned his back to the kitchen counter, facing Obito. The other man's eyes gazed at him with such intense expression that Kakashi didn't dare to interpret. After a few moments, he finally found his voice and replied, "Do you happen to know where the chips are? I couldn't find it."

Obito didn't answer him right away. Without moving his gaze, he slowly raised one of his hand to open a cabinet behind the silver head. His body leaned so close that Kakashi could smell his aftershave. Obito pulled a large bag of chips from the cabinet and showed it to the vet.

"This one?"

"Yeah," Kakashi held his breath. "That one."

Kakashi's heart pounded hard as Obito extended his hand to put the bag on the counter behind him, leaning even further. His face was so close that Kakashi could feel his breath on his own. Kakashi averted his gaze to the lips that looked so soft and inviting.

"Good," Obito whispered. His lip was only an inch away from Kakashi's now. 

Kakashi closed his eyes and surrendered his fate to the deities above. He didn't know who initiates the final inch was but there he was, tasting the lips of the man that had haunted his dreams in provocative ways. Obito's lips were soft and wet against him, it was way softer than he could've imagined. Kakashi decided that he likes it and definitely could enjoy that kiss forever. When Kakashi opened his mouth to give access to the other man's tongue, Obito ended the kiss abruptly. Kakashi opened his eyes, confused. Obito's face was flustered and he didn't dare to meet Kakashi's eyes.

"I, I'm sorry," he babbled, "I didn't mean-"

Kakashi rolled his eyes. He draped his arms around the other man's neck to pull him back and thrust his mouth to the other. Obito managed a squeal but didn't pull back. He let his mouth opened allowing Kakashi's tongue to explore its cavity. A strong arm circled Kakashi's lower back and another grabbed the back of his head to deepen the kiss. A minute passed with them making out in the kitchen, sucking and stealing each other's breath. Or maybe ten minutes, or an hour perhaps, Kakashi didn't know or care. They only detach from the other lips' when their oxygen level reached the bottom line.

"Woah," Obito blurted between his breaths. "That was waaay better than I expected."

Kakashi smirked. "That wasn't bad at all."

"I don't mind doing it again." The dark eyes glistened with lust.

"I'm tempted," Kakashi released the man in his arms. "But there's still a party going on in your house. And kids."

Obito closed his eyes and sighed, "Right. The party." He pouted and mumbled under his breath, "I can kick those kids out, you know."

The silver-haired man chuckled at the host's reaction, "You're not kicking anyone out from your son's birthday, Obito." He took the bowl and chips. "We must return to the party before they're starting to look for us. Later," he added with a wink and left Obito alone in the kitchen.

 

He was standing on the porch overlooking the backyard to watch the children playing when a blonde boy with bright blue eyes ran passed him towards a-now-smiling-Sasuke. 

"Naruto!" 

Huh? _Naruto?_ He knew someone with that name before and that wasn't a common one.

"Hi, Sasuke, sorry I'm late!" The black haired boy took his hand and pulled him to play at the bouncy castle.

"Kakashi?" A hesitant voice called him. He turned around and found a blonde man and a red-headed woman stood before him. They seemed familiar...

His eyes turned wide when he realized who they were. "Minato! Kushina!" There were no mistakes, this couple was the one who fostered Kakashi after his father's death.

"It's really you!" The red-headed woman squealed, she wrapped her slender arms around Kakashi's neck and hug him tight, the soft strands of her red hair tickled Kakashi's nose. "Oh, look at you! You've got so tall and handsome! You're a man now!" The woman, Kushina, released her hug to scrutinize him closely and rest her palms on Kakashi's shoulder. She turned to her husband, "Look, Minato, isn't he a handsome man?" 

The husband chuckled at his wife's enthusiasm, "Yes, he really is," He greeted Kakashi with a warm smile, "How have you been doing, Kakashi?" 

"I'm good. Took a job as a vet, it's been four years now." 

"A vet! That is so great, Kakashi! We should have lunch together sometime!" Kushina told him, she turned her head around looking for something. "Where's Naruto? I want him to see you too." She left Kakashi to find her son.

Kakashi highly doubted that Naruto would remember him. He left the Namikaze's when the boy was only a toddler after all. 

Suddenly meeting his foster parents out of the blue had brought mixed feelings inside him. He couldn't stop the memories flowing inside his head, mostly consisted of his father's death and the pain caused by it. Upon his father's death, Kakashi had locked himself up and refused to open up with anyone at all. Any ordeal to reach into his heart would make then teen-Kakashi exploded. He was so angry and hurt by his father's decision to take his own life and left him alone in this world. They were best buddies, his father and him, or so had he thought. There was a period in his life when he hated his dead father so deeply that he refused to visit his grave for years after his death.

Without any living relatives left, Kakashi was forced to live with foster parents and being transferred from one foster parent after another. They were all found him as a difficult, overly stubborn kid, and too much too handle. Until the Namikazes took him in.

The young couple was the only one who was patient enough to deal with him. The early years living with them was quite a disaster though, he had to admit. But Minato and Kushina never gave up, they did everything in their power for Kakashi to feel ease around them. With their relentless coaxing, Kakashi started to see a therapist. It did help him at some level; over the time he was able to forgive his father. But he had never been able to patch the huge hole in his heart.

"It's really good to see you again, Kakashi," Minato broke his train of thoughts, polite and kind just as he remembered. 

"I’m glad to see you too, Minato.”

"To see you again after all this time... and here, nevertheless. I never knew you know the Uchihas."

"It's just recent, actually. Hirota's dog was one of my patients."

Minato chuckled, "Ah, of course. The dog. Naruto hadn't stopped talking about Tobi after he met him first." 

"Maybe you should get him a dog," he suggested the older man.

"Yeah, maybe I should," the blonde agreed. 

Kushina re-appeared with her son on her side, Sasuke trailing behind them. "Naruto, this is Kakashi, he used to live with us. Do you remember him?" 

The blonde boy looked at Kakashi with his big blue eyes, head lolled to one side, thinking. "Who are you, mister?"

"That is Obito's boyfriend," Sasuke commented. "I saw them kissing in the kitchen." 

Kakashi gasped at the boy's blunt remarks. He didn't realize someone had seen them making out in the kitchen.

"You little shit!" A voice from behind them angrily scolded Sasuke. "You're peeping adults too now? Do you want to be like Shisui?" Obito came into their view, his tall body towering over Sasuke.

"I didn't peep," the boy went on flatly. "I went to the kitchen to grab some chips and saw you two kissing. It was gross."

"I don't care! Not a single word about this to your brother or Shisui, you understand?" 

Sasuke sighed, "I might or might not have told them already," He grabbed Naruto's hand and ran away before his cousin's wrath could reach him.

A giggle put Kakashi's attention back to the Namikazes.

"So, you guys are dating?" Kushina asked, grinning when the two young men blushed. 

"Well, you can say so," Obito rubbed his chin, face beaming with delight. 

"Congratulations! You look really cute together." She clapped her hands, ecstatic seeing the two together. 

"I don't think one single kiss could be considered as dating, Obito," Kakashi pointed out when both Minato and Kushina went inside to grab a cake.

"Of course you can if you wanted to."

"Pretty sure that's not how it works."

"Then why don't we have a real date to establish that?" A sly smirk appeared on Obito's face. "How about a dinner? Next Friday, perhaps?" 

Seeing the smile at the handsome face that he was really fond of, Kakashi did have a trouble to say no. He also did find a trouble to say anything else, though, so he just stared back in silence.

Obito's grin froze when he got no response, his shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry, I haven't done this in a long time since Hirota was born to be exact." He scratched his head and winced, suddenly embarrassed at his action. A slight blush appeared on his cheeks. "If you feel uncomfortable of what I've said or did, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to creep you out." He stared down at his feet with a dejected expression, reminding Kakashi of a gigantic puppy. 

Just like Obito, he also hadn't done this in quite a while. It was really hard for him to open up to someone else, more so to someone he just knew. But Obito's presence always calmed him down in a way that no one could before and he did have a strong feeling towards Obito that he couldn't name yet. He knew that Obito didn't see him as a casual fling for just a one night stand. But was Kakashi ready for that kind of relationship? The prospect of being in a relationship with someone else always terrified him, now more than ever. He really didn't want to ruin whatever they had or would have in the future, if there was any future for them that is. Well, hey, he would never know if he never tried, would he?

Kakashi raised his arm slowly to reach Obito's and took one his hand in his. "I would love to have a dinner with you, Obito." 

 

*****

Friday came later than Kakashi had wished for it to be. Asuma had returned and shared the stories about his father's project during lunch hour; it turned out Prof. Hiruzen was one of the founders of a recently-established wild-animal sanctuary in Earth Country. Kakashi listened with interest when his colleague explained of how it would've been the largest animal sanctuary among the five nations and how it contained the widest varieties of animals; it was practically a heaven for animal-loving people like him. He made a mental note to pay a visit to the sanctuary sometime in the future. As a child, his father often took him camping and taught him to appreciate the nature and its wildlife, and it only grew within time. His father's teaching was one the reason his love for animals and he always had a soft spot for those living in the wild.

"That sounds like a really cool place. I'd love to go there someday," Tenzo pondered, voicing Kakashi's thoughts.

"You should if you have a chance. I was only spent a week helping my father there, and boy, it was such a great experience," Asuma continued his story. "They have over a hundred lions and tigers, and many rare animals too. I even had a chance to tend an injured red wolf there. A beautiful beast." 

"It seems like a good place to spend a weekend too," Kurenai said. "With someone special." She flashed Kakashi a knowing grin when she said those words.

Kakashi had been, using Shizune's words, _in an unusually good mood_ this whole week. Unfortunately, his observant friends didn't miss the slight change in his state of mind. Not when his phone kept chirping text messages and he would inevitably smiling seeing it was from Obito saying funny bits to cheer him up at work. He somehow didn't really mind with their teasing, though.

After the party, they've been texting constantly. In just a few days of texting, Kakashi had discovered almost everything about Obito: his job, his age (only a year older than him), his hobby, Hirota's hobby, his and Hirota's favorite food, how Hirota will enroll to first grade next year, his rowdy cousins, among many other things. He now had a habit of checking his phone the moment he woke up. And finding there was a text from Obito had efficiently boosted his mornings, he hadn't felt like this in a long time. 

Towards the clinic's closing hour, he felt a rare excitement had built inside him. Obito had reserved a table at a hip bistro in the downtown at 7 o'clock. It gave Kakashi enough time to go home, take a quick shower, and feed his pets, before leaving to have a first date in a.....Kakashi didn't even remember when the last time he had a date. Well, it didn't matter now, did it?

“Kakashi, do you have a minute?” Asuma called from his office. “It’s about the sanctuary at Earth Country,” he continued when Kakashi sat on a chair across his desk.

“What about that?”

“They don’t have many vets there at the moment, that’s why Professor asked me to help them there. He actually asked me to come again next month, but I don’t think I can leave the clinic again by then. Do you think you can replace me going there for a week? All your expenses during the trip will be covered.”

“You want me to go there? Seriously?” Kakashi almost jumped from his seat at the opportunity. “I’ll go!”

Asuma chuckled at his reaction, “Awesome. I’ll tell Professor then.” 

They talked a bit for the arrangements, but Kakashi needed to leave now if he didn’t want to get late to see Obito. When he left Asuma’s office a few minutes later, he heard the head clinic shouted at him, “Good luck for the date tonight!”

 

The restaurant was packed when Kakashi arrived. The interior was not so spacious, but it had high ceiling refraining the feeling from being too cramped. Large window panels filled one of its sides, while the other sides had grey-colored exposed bricks. A large chandelier hung in the center gave the restaurant a fancy vibe. He smiled when he saw Obito waving at him from their table.

"Who is watching for Hiro?" Kakashi inquired after they put their order.

"My aunt took him for the weekend," answered the other man. "I think she missed to have a little boy around to spoil, you know since her youngest had turned into a brat and all."

Kakashi didn't miss the implication on Obito's words. _Obito was alone for the weekend. Interesting._

"How's the party's aftermath? Did Hiro get nice presents?" 

"Thanks to you, he now refused to wear any other pajamas apart than the one you gave him. So now I have to wash it every single day, or else he won't even get on his bed at all."

The silver-haired man grinned. He had purposely picked a pair of dog-printed pajamas, knowing the boy would love it. He just didn't think Hirota would love it that much.

They continued their conversation about the party and shared their activities in the past week, only cut off when a waitress put down their drinks and appetizer. Kakashi took the chance to appreciate the man before him. Just like his last visit to the clinic, Obito had once again made an effort to style his hair. The effect was pleasant, to say the least.

"So, I didn't realize you know the Namikazes." 

"Yeah, they fostered me for a couple of years after my father's death."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's okay, it was a long time ago," Kakashi poked the calamari on his plate. "I was 14 when I found my father's lifeless body hung in our living room," he continued quietly. "It was a rough time for me, but Minato and Kushina helped me back to my feet and put the purpose of life back in myself." 

"I'm sorry it happened to you." Obito reached for his hand and grabbed it tightly. "It must be hard for you to go through that."

Kakashi shook his head. "No, I'm the one who should've apologized. I've been looking forward to seeing you tonight and here I am telling you a sob story of my life and ruin the moment." 

"Why don't I tell you the sob story of my own and we call it even?" Obito's eyes shone with warmth for the man before him. "Then we can continue with more pleasant stories and enjoy the night together." He then proceeded to share his story about Rin and the loss he felt after her death.

Kakashi found that talking with Obito was so easy. He was a warm and an open-hearted man by nature and whenever he talks, he had such a gleam in his eyes. He openly shared his struggles of being a single dad and how he always tried to find any positive values even in dire situations. He made Kakashi laughed with his story of his first time changing diapers and his hilarious efforts in learning how to cook for his son ("You won't believe how many times I have accidentally triggered the fire alarm, the whole fire department already know my name. I bet if there's a real fire in my house they won't even bother to come!"). He also shared the funny tales from his childhood being raised by a weird uncle and about the Uchihas and their antics. 

Kakashi reciprocated with telling his own dreams and his love for animals. He told Obito about the wild-animal sanctuary at Earth Nation and how excited he was that he would have a chance to visit it next month. He even listed the animals he’d like to see there. 

Obito was a great listener. He put a great interest in whatever Kakashi was saying and asked questions at the right moments. He really had a great time throughout the dinner and didn’t realize it was already three hours passed since he came. More than half the patrons at the restaurant already left. 

"So, fancy for a cup of coffee?"

"Sure."

"You see, I'm alone at my house right now."

"I'm aware of that."

"Maybe we can hang out a bit and have a coffee there? At my house?"

"If you want to have sex, just say it, Obito." Kakashi grinned at the blushing face. 

"Damn it. Okay, let's go to my house and fuck like a bunch of horny teenagers who just discovered sex."

"Gladly."

 

They reached Obito's house in a record time. Once inside, they lunged at each other with hunger. Kakashi had his back pushed on the foyer's wall, Obito's hands touched all over his body and so was his. Lips met lips, limbs tangled, and breaths stolen from the other. Kakashi started to feel pain from the hardness trapped inside his jeans. Impatiently, he thrust his crotch towards Obito's to meet his.

The other man complied to the unspoken message. He released the kiss then dragged his guest into his bedroom. He pushed Kakashi towards the bed and slowly crawled above him, dark eyes stared at the man beneath him. "Ready for the next stage?" He whispered lustfully before licking Kakashi's ears and enticing soft moan. With a smirk for that reaction, Obito fondled Kakashi's hard cock playfully. "Nice and hard, just the way I like it." He pulled down the zipper, freeing the throbbing cock from its cage. He hummed in appreciation seeing the blessed size.

A long, slow lick caressing his cock drew another moan from Kakashi, louder this time. A tongue expertly traced his hard anatomy, making it wet and shiny with saliva, ravaging his cock like a starving man. When a wet mouth enveloped his cock, at last, Kakashi could barely stop a loud cry. Dark head now bobbed fast up and down on his cock without mercy, giving Kakashi the best blow job experience in his life. He could feel pre-cum budding fast in his dick, he might come too soon at this rate.

"Fuck, Obito," He moaned, "You're so good," He never thought Obito was this good at giving a head, the man seemed to not have a gag reflex at all. When the man started deep throat him, Kakashi had to gather all his power to hold himself from coming. He pulled Obito's hair roughly to free his cock from the sinful mouth, saliva dripping to his chin, mixed with cum. His eyes questioned Kakashi's move to stop him. "I want to come inside you."

A smirk appeared on Obito's face. "Think you can handle me?" He challenged him.

Kakashi pulled Obito's body and flipped him over, swapping their position. He leaned his face forward to the other man's face, "Oh, I know I can handle you just fine." He ripped open Obito's shirt and explored the muscular pecks with his mouth, tongue teasing the hardened nipples playfully. The man beneath him moaned and arched his back, thrusting his body to be devoured. Kakashi bit the rosy bud and grinned at the surprised yelp he got in return. He pushed his leg between Obito's, urging him to spread his legs.

"Lube, ah," Obito grunted, "In the drawer." 

Kakashi rose from the bed to retrieve the lube. Obito took the chance to strip his clothes off, one hand stroking his hard member lazily. "How do you want me to be?"

"On your front," Kakashi decided, drinking at the erotic view before him. The beautiful man turned his body around, presenting his naked body on all four. Smooth ass stuck out in the air for Kakashi to ravage. And boy he did. He pulled the ass cheeks apart, his mouth watered at the tiny hole peeking behind. Couldn't resist the temptation, he kissed and licked the tight opening, tongue forcing its way to breach the hole, drawing a loud moan from its owner. 

"Damn it, Kakashi, I want your cock!"

Kakashi chuckled at his partner's eagerness, "Be patient, sexy." 

A lubed finger stuck into his tight opening gently, causing Obito gasped at the foreign invasion. The single digit quickly became two, scissoring his inside in trivial movements, in-and-out. He cursed when another finger forced its way inside, expanding it until it's loose.

"Are you ready, Obito?" Having lost his ability to form a word, the dark-haired man could only nod. Kakashi's pulled his finger out from Obito, extracting a cry in protest. "So eager for my cock."

Kakashi stripped his own clothes off and threw it to the floor. He squirted more lube into his hand and smeared it around his cock. "I'm going in now." He put the tip in slowly, savoring the tightness inside."Fuck, you're so tight."

Obito gritted his teeth when a blunt cock pushed into him inch-by-inch. He could feel his rim widened at the intrusion. It nudged right at his prostate and made him choke on his own breath and darkened his eyesight. Kakashi pulled his cock until only the tip inside then plowed back in deep and hard. Obito swore he heard a long, vague scream somewhere before realizing it was him that had made such a pitiful sound. He pushed back to meet the thrusts, filling the room with the sound of slick bodies colliding in synchronize.

The man on top repeated his movement fiercely, loving the lewd reaction from the man beneath. He kissed Obito's neck and shoulder while pounding him hard from behind. Wanting to see Obito's face when he came, he pulled out and flipped his partner's pliant body around. Muscular legs wrapped around Kakashi's lower back, urging him to shove his dick back in. He kissed the plumped lips roughly and sped up his thrusts, deliberately aimed for the prostate.

"I'm about to come now, Obito," He reached for the other man's neglected cock and stroked it fast. Obito whimpered some gibberish words from his lips, eyes rolled back.

Kakashi could feel his cock was squeezed impossibly tight by Obito's inner muscles he couldn't hold it any longer, he came. He released himself inside his partner, flooding his insides with warmth. Obito sobbed when his own cock burst in Kakashi's tight grip, cum splashed on their stomach.

Kakashi pulled out his softened cock and dropped his body beside Obito, both men were out of breath. 

"Fuck," Obito blurted after he regained his ability to speak. "That was the best sex I've ever had."

Kakashi cackled. "That's like, the only sex you got in, what, five years?"

"And it won't be the last," Obito turned to his side to face his lover. "Stay here for tonight?" He kissed Kakashi's cheeks and lips, "Pretty, please?" 

"Okay." 

 

Morning came and Kakashi found himself fixing himself a cup of coffee in the kitchen.

"Kakashi-san!"

A whirlwind shape of five-year-old boy ran to him and hugged his legs tightly. Kakashi was never more grateful in his life that he decided to put on pants before he leaves Obito’s bedroom.

"Hiro! I thought you were at your aunt's house."

"I did. But Daddy forgot to pack Tobi's toys so Uncle Shisui and Uncle Itachi brought me here."

 _Fuck._ He really hoped Obito put his pants on wherever he is right now. Then a loud roar suddenly exploded from the living room.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TWO DOING IN MY HOUSE?" 

Kakashi put his hands on Hirota's ears when yellings and curses spread throughout the house. 

And that’s how Kakashi spent his first morning at the Uchiha’s.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There was an older Uchiha man standing on the other side of the door. At least Kakashi was pretty sure this guy was an Uchiha, judging from his looks; the thick black hair - this one had a long, wild mane- and a pair of dark eyes that reminded him of Obito.
> 
> "Can I help you?"
> 
> The man didn't answer right away. His dark eyes scrutinized Kakashi with such a menacing look that make him shuddered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year!! I hope you all have a much better everything in this year.  
> Here is the long awaited chapter. I deeply apologized for the delay, the works had kept me so much occupied lately. 
> 
> Enjoy!

_"Dad, can we go see the fireworks next week?"_

_It was midsummer in Konoha and every year, the city held a big festival in the town square. And every year, Sakumo would dutifully take his only son, Kakashi, to see the fireworks on the last day of the festival. It was one of their favorite father-son bonding activities, the one that Kakashi's been waiting for this whole summer. Between his jobs, Sakumo didn't have a lot of free time, but Kakashi knew he would spare his time for the sake of the little tradition they have. He missed going out with his dad, and spending the entire night eating greasy treats from the festival stalls together while waiting for the fireworks would be fun!_

_Sakumo smiled and patted his teenage son's hair gently. He took a few moments before finally answered, "Of course, son. How could I miss it?"  
Kakashi thought that his father sound hesitated, but he didn't think much of it. His mind was already full of the treats he would buy at the festival; he had saved enough money from cutting the grass at the neighbors' with full intention to spend it on treats._

_He listed every treat he wanted to eat and challenged his father to try the notorious spicy ikayaki from the famous vendor there; whoever could eat the whole thing without getting a diarrhea is the winner, and the loser had to cook breakfast for both of them for a month straight. Sakumo listened to his son's chatter without so much respond, but he did smile, though Kakashi noticed how tired he looked._

_As a single father, Sakumo tried his best to be the parent his son deserved. After losing his wife just before Kakashi turned five, he was left with a huge medical debt. He had no choice but to take multiple jobs to pay the debt and the bills so his son could have a better life. Kakashi knew exactly how hard his father worked for both of them, and he'd forever appreciate it. He understood the reason his father had to work long hours though he sometimes wished they could have more time to spend together. Lately, he also noticed how his father seemed too tense. He wished fireworks and a night full of greasy street food could lose him up a bit._

_Two days later, Kakashi found his father's lifeless body inside their house._

  


Kakashi opened his eyes with a jolt. The muted color of the ceilings greeted him, sending unfamiliar vibes that remind him that he wasn't at home. Laying down on the foreign bed, he stared at the grim ceilings, thinking of the dream he just had. He hadn't dreamed about his father in a long time. Those last moments with his late father resulted in him hating festivals, summer in particular.  


It took literally years until he could be able to patch the scars in his heart, it took some more until he could be able to visit his father's grave. He knew some part of him would be forever wondering why his father chose to end his own life and leave a child behind like he meant nothing. But Kakashi was tired of being angry and exhausted of asking questions that he could never get an answer of. He was done grieving, and he obviously didn't need to reenact the pain right now, not today. Kakashi had a life to live and animals to tend.

  


"Ooh, that looks like a nice and tidy wrapping, Kakashi."  


The single praise made Kakashi looked up from the red panda cub he was treating at. He was so caught up treating the wound at its leg and carefully put a bandage around it he didn't realize he had a visitor. A short, old guy wearing a safari hat approached him with a warm smile on his wrinkled face.

"Ah Oonoki-san, good morning!" Kakashi greeted the founder of the sanctuary warmly and returning the smile.

"What happened to the little guy here?"

"One of the staff found him stuck in the wire fence. I think he tried to climb it but got caught by a loose wire there. I managed to stitch the wound, but he will have to stay here in the ward for a day or two."

Oonoki listened with a serious expression on his face. "I'm going to ask the maintenance staff to check all of our fences then. I don't want any more animals got hurt because of our negligent."

Kakashi nodded his agreement. As much as he enjoyed his temporary assignment at the Earth Country's sanctuary, he hated seeing animals got hurt. He stroked the red panda's fur tenderly. The poor animal was still sleeping from the sedation he gave it.

"So, it's the last day for the assignment here, if I'm not mistaken?" Oonoki asked him.

"Yes. I'm taking a flight back to Konoha tomorrow morning," He paused for a moment before continued, "I thank you very much for giving me the chance to spend the time here, Oonoki-san. The animals here live in a safe environment, and you provide them with a wonderful system to help them to sustain their life here."

Oonoki chuckled and brushed his hand off at Kakashi. "No, it is me who should thank you. We don't have many young, experienced vets in this country, unfortunately. That's why I asked for Hiruzen's help. He did a great job to support me here, especially now that he had retired from teaching. He even sent his son here back then and now it's you, his former student." He reached up to pat Kakashi's shoulder. "I couldn't thank you enough. Please know you are always welcomed here."

They talked a bit about the sanctuary and how Oonoki envisioned the place in the future. He planned to do a funding to buy more jeep so the staffs could easily roam the whole area in order to take care of the inhabitants. Kakashi had done some exploring on his own throughout the land and was amazed with how large the sanctuary was and how many species they kept there. Ever since the first day, Kakashi didn't hold back asking questions after questions about the all the species and their lives there as Oonoki explained everything to him with equal enthusiasm. He was impressed at how Oonoki was able to maintain the animal's safe haven meticulously. The older man was a renowned zoologist with an impressive knowledge of handling wild animals and a great amount of love for them. Kakashi conveyed how he felt honored to have a chance working with the kindhearted man even if it's just for a short time.

Their conversation was cut by a short tone from a phone on the counter signaling he got a new incoming message. Kakashi could feel the corner of his lips turned upward when he saw who the sender was.

Oonoki chuckled seeing the young man's reaction and gave another pat to his shoulder. "I apologize to keep your time here, Kakashi. I believe someone's eagerly waiting for you to come home soon." He winked at Kakashi and left him alone in the ward.

Kakashi took his phone and opened the message. It was a photo of Obito and Hirota, both flashing a wide, toothy smile to the camera. Both also had pink icing smeared on their cheeks. Kakashi noticed that Hirota's missing front tooth had started to grow a bit. They were holding a plate full of disheveled sugar cookies topped with colorful sprinkles. 

_We made welcome-back-cookies for you. Come and get it (before we eat it all)._

He smiled. Seeing the bright smile on those faces, a sudden feeling that he could only depict as homesickness flooded through his heart. He typed a reply:

_It looks tasty. Save some for me, please._

He didn't have to wait for long to get a reply:

_Sure do. I'll save you something even tastier than these cookies :)_

Kakashi chuckled at Obito’s reply. He sent back one last text before putting his phone down and get back to work.

_It better be something EXTRA tasty._

  


******

Upon his return to Konoha, Kakashi found the Uchihas had practically glued themselves to Kakashi's side. He didn't complain though, instead it was quite nice to know his presence was wanted.

Hirota asked everything about the animals he had encountered in the sanctuary.("Tell me more about the elephants, Kakashi-san!") In the following nights when he spent at the Uchihas, he often had to tuck the boy to sleep with stories about animals under the boy's demand - which he happily obliged. To Kakashi's surprise, Hirota once mentioned that he wanted to be a vet like Kakashi when he grew up. To say that he didn't feel flatter for the 5-year-old comment was a big fat lie.

In the following months, they spent so much time together. They took Hirota to movies and parks. On Fridays, they scheduled movie nights where they would play old flicks on DVD. Hirota would sit between them before falling asleep thirty minutes into the movie. Obito would tuck him to bed before grabbing some beers for them and continue watching the movie. Or they just moved straight to Obito's bedroom for steamier activities.

Both of the Uchiha seemed to adore him, and he genuinely enjoyed every moment he spent around them. He liked how Obito's face lightened up every time he saw him and how his cheeks would turn into a delightful shade of pink from just a slight tease. He also liked how Hirota would dangle himself on Kakashi's arm, happily chattered about his days at preschool.

He had yet to tell his friends about this 'relationship' but somehow they knew about it. To be fair, he didn't dare to put any label to whatever they had this stage. Shizune was thrilled when she noticed little changes in Kakashi's behavior. She noticed that he did smile a lot more after seeing Obito. He had to admit that the man's happy-go-lucky-attitude did some effect on him.

  
  


On a warm lazy afternoon, they decided to spend it at a dog park. Kakashi had brought his dogs, Pakkun and Bisuke, for this occasion. Hirota squeaked with joy when the dogs sniffing him and Tobi around with a lot of interest.

Kakashi leaned his back against the park's fence next to Obito. Both men were watching how Hirota reached both of his arms trying to rub all the three dogs at the same time. He was glad to initiate this play date. It's been a while since he took his dogs to a dog park, and they seemed to like Hirota rather quickly.

"Thank you." Obito broke the silence between them.

"For what?"

"For...this." Obito nodded to his son's direction, where he was now playing catch with all three dogs while giggling happily.

"It's about time for me to take my dogs out here, Obito. Really, it's nothing."

Obito rolled his eyes. "I'm not talking about dogs, you moron." He looked hesitate for a moment and biting his lower lip before he went on, "I'm thanking you for letting me and Hirota into your life."

Kakashi startled at the statement. He turned his head to look at Obito's face clearly. The other man avoided his gaze but the adorable blush that Kakashi had grown to cherish so much appeared on his cheeks.

"I know how hard it is for you to let anyone in." The dark-haired man continued. "Yet, you still let us in. You gave us a chance when you could easily shut us down. And for that I'm really grateful." He stretched his arm to seize Kakashi's hand and grip it gently.

"Obito, I..." but Kakashi couldn't find a word to say to respond Obito's sudden heartfelt confession.

"Sssh, it's okay. You don't have to say anything. It's not like I'm asking you for a marriage or something." Obito chuckled then quickly shut his mouth when he realized the implication of his own joke. "Shit. Please don't get any ideas. All I'm saying is, I'm happy that you're willing to spend your time with us. That's all. Don't think too much about it." 

He then leaned forward to give a peck on Kakashi's forehead and leave him behind to join his son.

The vet stood still on the fence, his mind was contemplating what Obito's just said. He realized he had indeed letting these two so deep into his life. Kakashi couldn't even remember how grim his life was pre-the Uchihas, and he really didn't want to reminiscence those lonely days. It was very easy to let them in, they were lovely people. Yet, there was something nagging in the back of his mind. A voice that suspiciously sounded like _this is too good to be true_ , and _was he even deserved to have all of this?_ Looking at the father and son playing together in glee, Kakashi suddenly felt a new emotion crawling through his heart that he didn't like at all: an irrational fear that one day he'd lose them.

  


*****

  


Obito was crouching in his kitchen checking the oven's temperature before putting the tray of food in when the door bell rang. They were having roast chicken and potatoes for dinner tonight and Kakashi had prepared a simple salad as the entree.

"Sorry Kakashi, could you check the door, please?"

"Sure." The other man put the towel he'd just used to wipe a knife on the kitchen island and strode to open the front door.

There was an older Uchiha man standing on the other side of the door. At least Kakashi was pretty sure this guy was an Uchiha, judging from his looks; the thick black hair - this one had a long, wild mane- and a pair of dark eyes that reminded him of Obito.

"Can I help you?"

The man didn't answer right away. His jet black eyes scrutinized Kakashi with such a menacing look that make him shuddered. He was a man in his late 40s. And although he wasn't as tall as Kakashi’s, from the way the leather jacket shaped his broad shoulder and biceps, the guy was ripped. The entire attire he wore was common for a seasoned biker: leather jacket, a matching pair of leather gloves, faded jeans, and studded boots. A duffle bag was strapped on one of his shoulder. From where he stood in the doorway, Kakashi could spot a large cruiser motorbike parked in Obito's driveway.

"So, you're the vet, eh?" The stranger crossed his arms over his chest and sent a glare that Kakashi could only interpret as a warning of something. As if he'd beat him around if Kakashi dared to mess around. A shout from behind Kakashi saving him from answering the man.

"Goddammit, old man! What the hell are you doing here?"

Kakashi turned around and took a step aside from the doorway. Obito, still in a dirty apron, now stood in the foyer, his hand frantically waving and pointing a wooden spatula to the guest.

The stranger sighed. "Is that how you greet me now, brat? What a waste of time teaching you all those lessons about manner when you were young."

"You literally raised me in a bar! Me not having manners should be the least of your concern, you old bat."

"Grandpa Mada!"

A whirling five-year old ran past Obito and Kakashi, straight to the stranger's open arms. The boy laughed when the man tickled his sides and picked him up.

"Grandpa, I'm a big boy now, you don't have to carry me anymore."

"You're a big boy now, huh?" Hirota nodded eagerly. The man chuckled and tousled the boy's hair. "Well, you're still fit in my arms. How about I'll stop carry you when you can carry me instead?"

"But, but you're so big, Grandpa! There's no way I can carry you!" Hirota's large eyes rounded with confusion, causing the older man to laugh at his expression.

Obito rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, Hiro. No one is able to carry his old, gigantic butt, anyway." Ignoring the glare he received for the comment, he turned to Kakashi. "Kakashi, this is my uncle, Madara."

Kakashi bowed to the older man and got a slight nod in return. So, this was the uncle that had raised, Obito, eh? He had heard about this man before. But from the way Madara stared at Kakashi as if he was some unpleasant dirt stuck on his boots, he had a feeling that this would be one hell of a night.

  
  


The dinner went surprisingly well, much better than Kakashi had anticipated. Though Madara keep looking at him coldly, at least he was civil enough through the ordeal. After dinner, they were all sitting in the living room for a drink and chat. Obito took three cans of beer from the fridge and handed one each to Kakashi and Madara. Hirota made himself comfortable next to his grandpa on the couch. His small hands busy with the new lego set, courtesy from Madara as a long overdue birthday gift.

"How's the pub?"

Madara ran a small pub on the skirt outside Konoha that was quite popular. The older man took a big gulp of his beer before giving an answer, "Business has been good, busy as usual. And still standing as we're speaking, I hope. If only the idiot didn't drown himself with too much alcohol and quit gambling for just a goddamn moment." The 'idiot' he referred to, Kakashi had been told, was Hashirama, Madara's childhood friend who also happened to be his business partner. With the help from Mito, Hashirama's wife, the three of them put their money to buy an old, dying pub and turned it into a popular destination among local bikers.

Obito hissed at his uncle for the cursing words, but Hirota seemed too occupied in constructing a spaceship with his lego sets to notice anything else.

They talked about the pub and the family for a while. Then Obito made Kakashi amused with the tales of him growing up around the pub. Obito reminiscences of how at twelve years old he was used to memorize every kind of beer and liquor they served at the pub. Not that Madara allowed him to drink, but he did spend a lot of time there as a server for some extra pocket money. He still remembered how the patrons, especially older bikers, would awe at how swiftly he pronounced even the rarest kind of beer, and they tipped him really good! Child protection service be damned.

Madara filled in with embarrassing stories about Obito that made him flustered. Kakashi made a mental note of every story been told for a possible blackmail in the future.

"Someone seems ready for a bed time." Madara chuckled at the way his great-nephew struggling to keep his eyes open. Colorful lego blocks spread around the boy on the couch, the spaceship was still halfway finished.

"Let me tuck him in." Obito stood up from the couch and scoop his half-awake son up into his arms. Hirota mumbled a sleepy good night to Madara and Kakashi before he was brought to his bedroom by his father. Tobi followed closely on his trail.

An awkward silence fell in the living room upon the host's leave. Kakashi took a sip of his beer, anxiously waiting for Obito to come back soon. If Madara had thrown him glares since his arrival, right now he had a full-blown scowl on his face, eyes piercing Kakashi like he had been trying to burn him with the power of his mind. Kakashi didn't know what he had done to offend this man so much, but it seems he was about to find out.

"What is Obito to you?"

Ah, there it was. The long awaited classic family interrogation. For a moment, Kakashi felt like he was back being a gangly teen and about to ask an overly intimidating father a permission to take his innocent daughter for a prom date. Except Obito wasn't anyone's daughter, and he was half the world away from the word 'innocent'.

"I..." Kakashi hesitated. Should he answer that he honestly didn't know what exactly Obito is to him or should he answer in a more diplomatic way? He cursed Obito for being an orphan, a fully functioning adult, and a father himself, yet still managed to put Kakashi in this kind of situation. For some reason, his guts told him that simply answering with 'It's not your business at all' to this man seems like the fastest way to start a fire. And from the way Madara twitched his fist like he couldn't wait to land it on Kakashi's face if the answer didn't meet his taste, Kakashi knew he'd rather stay in the man's good side. He didn't want to put Obito in a strain with his own family after all.

He opted for a safe, diplomatic answer and carefully chose his words, "Obito is a good friend of mine."

Madara leaned his upper body towards Kakashi, his eyes staring at him suspiciously when he spoke in a deep, menacing voice, "You're probably a law-abiding citizen and all, but believe me when I say that I won't tolerate anyone hurting my family. I raised Obito since he was a child like he was my own son. I'm not a very good citizen myself and fortunately, so do a lot of people around me. And I'd like you to remember that when you have the urge to hurt my nephew or his son in any way. So if your intention was to play around with them, you can get lost now before you regret it."

Kakashi gaped at the man's words. Did he just threaten him with violence? Kakashi didn't have a lot of experience in dating, but he has never been through the situation when the family blatantly threatened him like this. He didn't like being threatened like he was a lowly scum. And he wasn't there to hurt anyone! He had a pride, dammit, and he'd fight for it! Even if it meant he had to go through a fist fight with this man. He had no doubt that Madara was more than capable to beat him into a pulp (without a jacket on, the dude was way bulkier than he had initially thought), but he won't back down. He wasn't the type that kept quiet when he was being bullied.

He straightened his back and opened his mouth to defend himself and tell the older man to screw himself when Madara suddenly burst into a fit of laughter.

Confused, Kakashi was rendered speechless. _Was this man crazy?_

"Hahaha, I'm just kidding! Obito's an adult and can take care of himself. He obviously doesn't need me to scare off his dates anymore." There were tears pooling on the corner of his eyes from laughing out too loud. He pointed a finger to Kakashi and laughed louder. "You should see your face!"

When Obito returned to the living room and found Kakashi's paled face and Madara laughing like a maniac, he groaned. He knew exactly what had just happened during the short time he left the two alone.

"Oh for fuck sake, Madara, did you just threaten him? Really? I'm not a kid anymore, you old fart!" He turned to Kakashi and said in a tired voice, "Whatever he said to you, please ignore it. It's just him being an idiot like he normally is and I'm really sorry for his stupid behavior. This is utterly embarrassing."

Kakashi nodded, though he finally able to release a breath he didn't know he had been holding on. Obito continued berating his uncle and moaned loudly about why he couldn’t have a normal family for once.

When Kakashi called it a night and about to leave the house, however, Madara gave him a quick one-armed hug and whispered to his ear, _"I'm still gonna beat your ass if you dare to hurt them, though"_ and winked at him cheerfully.

  


*****

  


Kakashi laid down on the old sofa in his apartment, lazily switching the channels on TV and stroking Pakkun'son his lap. Bisuke was laying on the floor next to them, while Sukea, the lazy cat, was sleeping in his box next to the TV.

After his unfortunate first meeting with Madara, Kakashi had met him several times after that in a much friendlier situation, thankfully. Though Madara's attitude towards him had changed drastically since the first night, Kakashi was somewhat relieved that the older man finally leaving Konoha. He was returning home tomorrow and now Obito was at his aunt's house for a farewell dinner with the whole family.

His phone at the end-table rang. Thinking that it must be from Obito, complaining about the unconventional family he had for the hundredth time, Kakashi reached his hand out to pick the phone and answered it without checking the caller ID. He was surprised to find out that it was his dear, old teacher at the other end.

"Professor Hiruzen! How are you?" He wondered what on earth that caused his former teacher to call him out of the blue tonight.

"I'm fine, Kakashi. How about you? Everything's great at the clinic?"

They talked about what's been going on in the clinic for a minute. Tenzo was going to graduate from vet school early next year, so he can start working full time at the clinic. Asuma and Kurenai were also planned to get married next year. The conversation then led to the sanctuary and Kakashi's recent trip there. Hiruzen asked Kakashi whether he liked the trip, which the younger man quickly assured him that yes, he liked it there.

"Oonoki has been talking about you non-stop. He is very impressed about your work and your passion for the animals."

"Oonoki-san had been so nice to me during my assignment, without his guidance I won't be able to do my job properly. He taught me a lot about the best ways to take care of the animals there."

"Well, actually I'm calling you tonight to talk about that, Kakashi. What do you think of working at the sanctuary in Earth Country permanently?"

  


TBC

  



End file.
